Bahrain Offers Comprehensive Sheltering Services to Distressed Filipinos

Labor Market Regulatory Agency (LMRA) CEO Ausamah Al Absi (in white) gives a briefing of the facilities and services to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola during the latter’s first site visit and inspection of the LMRA Expat Protection Center in Sehla, Kingdom of Bahrain. (Manama PE photo)

MANAMA 28 November 2018 – In line with the continuing partnership between the Philippines and Bahrain in the protection and promotion of the rights of Filipino workers to decent work, the Philippine Embassy in Manama is pleased to announce another dimension of this cooperation, particularly in the field of shelter and welfare services to Filipinos in distress.  

Under the expanded agreement, the Labor Market Regulatory Agency (LMRA) Expat Protection Center (EPC) in Sehla will provide services to Filipinos at the Embassy shelter.

This new partnership recognizes the respective strengths of the Embassy Shelter and the LMRA EPC in Sehla and by harmonizing and complimenting each other’s capabilities and resources, both will be able to provide a higher level of assistance to Filipinos in need.

Filipinos in distress come to the Embassy because of cultural, practical and other administrative concerns. Accordingly, intake procedures and necessary actions such as medical examination and case recording documentation will be done at the Embassy. Subsequently, the same Filipino can be admitted to the LMRA EPC where the full array of Bahrain’s governmental, legal, law-enforcement, including psycho-social agencies will be ready to provide comprehensive assistance to anyone.

This new partnership was forged during the recent visit and meeting of Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola and Ambassador Alfonso Ver with LMRA CEO Ausamah Al Absi.

Undersecretary Arriola expressed her confidence in Bahrain’s procedures and excellent services in protecting victims or potential victims of trafficking and exploitation, pointing out that Bahrain’s procedures are a model in protecting victims and providing them with appropriate care.

Mr. Alabsi stressed to the delegation and embassy representatives that the LMRA’S EPC doors would always be open to any worker in distress and in need of guidance. The EPC does not only provide sheltering to vulnerable workers, but is also a one-stop shop for all expat workers in need. Its shelter has the capacity to host up to 200 persons. END

The Bahrain Expat Protection Center. (LMRA blog photo)

For more information, visit www.manamape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinBahrain.